IN the end, it was the winningest team in the PBA 3x3 Third Conference that hoisted the championship.
TnT Tropang Giga, rulers of Legs 1, 3 and 4 and runners-up of the fifth and sixth legs, put the cherry on top after a dramatic comeback victory in overtime over Purefoods in the battle for conference honors, 21-19, Sunday at Robinsons Place Manila.
Gryan Mendoza dropped eight markers, including the winning two-pointer in extra time, as TnT completed the fightback from a 15-19 deficit to zoom to the very top of the season-ending conference.
Almond Vosotros added five while Samboy de Leon and Lervin Flores had four apiece in the clinching win worth P750,000.
"Grabe ang pinakitang puso ng players ko. Last 1:30 we're down by four, Purefoods (was) two points away from winning the championship. We just didn't give up. This is the type of team we have," said an emotional TnT coach Mau Belen.
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A week separate from their Leg 6 triumph over TnT, the Titans appeared headed to a repeat when they seized a 19-15 upperhand on Joseph Eriobu's drive.
That was the closest Purefoods could get to the crown, however, as Mendoza and Co. mounted the rally of their lives in the windup.
Mendoza's back-to-back baskets put TnT to within 19-17 and after a miss by Eriobu, De Leon retrieved the rebound, drew a foul and converted both charities to knot the count.
TnT would get three opportunities to win it outright but Vosotros and De Leon flubbed their tries from deep and time expired.
In OT, Vosotros played decoy, sending the ball to Mendoza who gratefully fired it from beyond the arc.
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Vosotros was later named Scoring King of the Conference and banked P30,000.
Purefooods' Eriobu, Marvin Hayes, Jed Mendoza and Jun Bonsubre settled for second place and P250,000.
On the way to the finals, the top-seeded Tropang Giga walloped Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinals, 21-10, and fourth seed San Miguel Beer in the semifinals, 21-15.
No. 3 Purefoods advanced after disposing of Limitless in the Last-8, 18-16, and Sista Super Sealers in the Final Four, 21-19.
Sista's Kenneth Mocon, Joseph Manlangit, Jamil Gabawan and Jan Jamon joined the two in the podium after edging San Miguel Beer in the third-place battle, 21-20, for P100,000. (OL)
The Scores:
Barangay Ginebra vs CAVITEX
Ginebra 21 - Villamor 8, Gozum 6, De Vera 4, Cabahug 3.
CAVITEX 16 - Galanza 6, Fajardo 6, Rivero 3, Saldua 1.
Platinum Karaoke vs Sista Super Sealers
Platinum Karaoke 17 - Andrada 7, Banal 6, De Chavez 2, Bagatsing 2.
Sista 14 - Mocon 4, Gabawan 4, Jamon 4, Manlangit 2.
Limitless Appmasters vs Barangay Ginebra
Limitless 20 - Salva 7, Napoles 7, Camacho 6, Arambulo 0.
Ginebra 16 - Cabahug 9, De Vera 4, Villamor 3, Gozum 0.
Sista Super Sealers vs Terrafirma
Sista 15 - Jamon 7, Manlangit 5, Mocon 2, Gabawan 1.
Terrafirma 10 - Bulawan 5, Ce?al 3, Cachuela 2.
Limitless Appmasters vs CAVITEX Braves
Limitless 22 - Napoles 9, Salva 8, Arambulo 3, Camacho 2.
CAVITEX 19 - Galanza 6, Saldua 5, Fajardo 5, Rivero 3.
Platinum Karaoke vs Terrafirma
Platinum Karaoke 21 - Banal 11, De Chavez 7, Bagatsing 2, Andrada 1.
Terrafirma 8 - Cenal 5, Cachuela 3, Bulawan 0.
Quarterfinals:
TNT Tropang GIGA vs Barangay Ginebra
TNT 21 - Vosotros 10, Mendoza 6, De Leon 3, Flores 2.
Ginebra 14 - Cabahug 6, Villamor 4, De Vera 4, Gozum 0.
Quarterfinals:
SMB vs Platinum Karaoke
SMB 10 - Comboy 7, Gamalinda 2, Gotladera 1, Mangahas 0.
Platinum Karaoke 8 - Andrada 3, Banal 3, De Chavez 2, Bagatsing 0.
Quarterfinals:
Purefoods TJ vs Limitless Appmasters
Purefoods TJ 18 - Mendoza 9, Eriobu 7, Hayes 1, Bonsubre 1.
Limitless 16 - Salva 7, Napoles 4, Arambulo 4, Camacho 1.
Quarterfinals:
Sista Super Sealers vs Meralco Bolts
Sista 18 - Jamon 8, Manlangit 7, Mocon 2, Gabawan 1.
Meralco 12 - Espanola 5, Batino 4, Morido 2, Maiquez 1.
Semifinals:
TNT Tropang GIGA vs San Miguel Beermen
TNT 21 - Vosotros 11, Flores 5, De Leon 3, Mendoza 2.
SMB 15 - Comboy 10, Gotladera 2, Mangahas 2, Gamalinda 1.
Semifinals:
Purefoods TJ vs Sista
Purefoods TJ 21 - Eriobu 10, Mendoza 8, Bonsubre 3, Hayes 0.
Sista 19 - Manlangit 6, Mocon 6, Jamon 4, Gabawan 3.
Battle for 3rd:
Sista Super Sealers vs San Miguel Beermen
Sista 21 - Mocon 11, Jamon 5, Gabawan 3, Manlangit 2.
SMB 20 - Comboy 10, Gamalinda 7, Mangahas 2, Gotladera 1.
Grand Finals:
TNT vs Purefoods TJ
TNT 21 - Mendoza 8, Vosotros 5, De Leon 4, Flores 4.
Purefoods TJ 19 - Hayes 6, Eriobu 6, Mendoza 4, Bonsubre 3.
